Published: Thursday, February 7, 2013 at 3:15 a.m.

Last Modified: 189912300000

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Wild Ace Pizza and Pub will open this April in the 3,500-square-foot former Justin's Steakhouse space within the historic Citizens and Southern National Bank Building near Morgan Square.

Owners Chris and Denise VandenBerghe, who launched their World War-themed eatery in Greer in 2009 and opened a second location in Tygerville last year, said their Spartanburg store will create at least 40 new jobs.

“We are very excited about it,” said Denise VandenBerghe. “We actually started looking (in downtown Spartanburg) in 2010. We were interested in this building, but the timing wasn't right. Maybe this is fate.”

The VandenBerghe's said the 250-seat restaurant will cater to families and pizza lovers of all ages. It will operate from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days per week and will have indoor and outdoor seating.

Wild Ace's full menu will be served and the owners plan to have about 24 craft beers on tap and a large selection of wines and spirits.

Beers will be a combination of world and local brews, such as RJ Rockers and Highland. North Carolina-based Aviator Brewing Co. has partnered with the VandenBerghes and will unveil a cask of a new draft specially made for Wild Ace when the store opens.

Armed with an affordable menu that features whole pizzas, large slices, sandwiches, pastas, wings, salads, appetizers and desserts, the owners said they hope to liberate lunch and dinner crowds from mediocre dining experiences.

Many of the restaurant's dishes carry the aviation theme. For example, the Pearl Harbor is a specialty pizza with pineapple, ham and bacon. The Amelia Earhart is a vegetarian pizza, the Top Ace has pepperoni and sausage and the Spirit of St. Louis has barbecue chicken. The Kamikaze is a dish with fettuccini and a spicy chicken breast, and the P-51 Mustang is a grilled steak sandwich.

Wild Ace also has a few gluten-free items and soy cheese as a lactose-free alternative. The owners said they use only the highest quality ingredients they can find.

The VandenBerghes said they opened their flagship restaurant on Trade Street in downtown Greer, which is also in a former Justin's Steakhouse space, because they noticed a lack of dining options in the area.

At the time, Chris was operating a music shop and Denise had her own computer repair business.

The Wild Ace concept was Chris's idea. Denise said her husband comes from a line of U.S. military veterans and is a history buff with an interest in planes.

Throughout the Greer location there photographs and memorabilia, as well as RC World War II-era planes hanging from the ceiling. Each child dining at the restaurant receives a Styrofoam plane to take home. Chris said he hopes to do the same with the Spartanburg store.

The VandenBerghe's were married after a courtship that began at church. They have one son who is a junior at Clemson University.

The couple also owns and operates the Acme General Store in downtown Greer. They said they hope to eventually open up some type of retail operation in downtown Spartanburg as well, but those plans are still in the works.

Spartanburg businessman Roland Zimmer, who owns the nearly 140-year-old bank building, had been seeking a restaurant tenant since Justin's closure in 2009. Couture Closets was the last business to occupy the space.

Famed American aviator Charles Lindbergh once gave a speech in front of the building when he visited Spartanburg in 1927 after completing the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.

“I am very happy to have them,” Zimmer said. “I think it's going to be a great concept for Spartanburg. It's accessible for college kids and families. It would be great to see downtown reach its full potential as a meeting place for young people. We want to continue the success that Morgan Square has experienced over the past few months.”

Zimmer said he will be installing a new solar project at the building that will allow for the restaurant's water to be heated by a system that draws power from the sun. He hopes other downtown business owners will follow suit.

The VandenBerghe's said they were drawn to Spartanburg because of the potential for growth and the opportunities for them to get involved with happenings going on all over the city.

“We love to get involved, Denise especially,” Chris VandenBerghe said. “What interested us most is that the city is so involved in revitalizing downtown. We're very much looking forward to working with the city. We think it is wide open for growth.”

<p>A new restaurant hopes to help downtown soar to greater heights.</p><p>Wild Ace Pizza and Pub will open this April in the 3,500-square-foot former Justin's Steakhouse space within the historic Citizens and Southern National Bank Building near Morgan Square.</p><p>Owners Chris and Denise VandenBerghe, who launched their World War-themed eatery in Greer in 2009 and opened a second location in Tygerville last year, said their Spartanburg store will create at least 40 new jobs.</p><p>“We are very excited about it,” said Denise VandenBerghe. “We actually started looking (in downtown Spartanburg) in 2010. We were interested in this building, but the timing wasn't right. Maybe this is fate.”</p><p>The VandenBerghe's said the 250-seat restaurant will cater to families and pizza lovers of all ages. It will operate from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days per week and will have indoor and outdoor seating.</p><p>Wild Ace's full menu will be served and the owners plan to have about 24 craft beers on tap and a large selection of wines and spirits.</p><p>Beers will be a combination of world and local brews, such as RJ Rockers and Highland. North Carolina-based Aviator Brewing Co. has partnered with the VandenBerghes and will unveil a cask of a new draft specially made for Wild Ace when the store opens.</p><p>Armed with an affordable menu that features whole pizzas, large slices, sandwiches, pastas, wings, salads, appetizers and desserts, the owners said they hope to liberate lunch and dinner crowds from mediocre dining experiences.</p><p>Many of the restaurant's dishes carry the aviation theme. For example, the Pearl Harbor is a specialty pizza with pineapple, ham and bacon. The Amelia Earhart is a vegetarian pizza, the Top Ace has pepperoni and sausage and the Spirit of St. Louis has barbecue chicken. The Kamikaze is a dish with fettuccini and a spicy chicken breast, and the P-51 Mustang is a grilled steak sandwich.</p><p>Wild Ace also has a few gluten-free items and soy cheese as a lactose-free alternative. The owners said they use only the highest quality ingredients they can find.</p><p>The VandenBerghes said they opened their flagship restaurant on Trade Street in downtown Greer, which is also in a former Justin's Steakhouse space, because they noticed a lack of dining options in the area.</p><p>At the time, Chris was operating a music shop and Denise had her own computer repair business.</p><p>The Wild Ace concept was Chris's idea. Denise said her husband comes from a line of U.S. military veterans and is a history buff with an interest in planes.</p><p>Throughout the Greer location there photographs and memorabilia, as well as RC World War II-era planes hanging from the ceiling. Each child dining at the restaurant receives a Styrofoam plane to take home. Chris said he hopes to do the same with the Spartanburg store.</p><p>The VandenBerghe's were married after a courtship that began at church. They have one son who is a junior at Clemson University.</p><p>The couple also owns and operates the Acme General Store in downtown Greer. They said they hope to eventually open up some type of retail operation in downtown Spartanburg as well, but those plans are still in the works.</p><p>Spartanburg businessman Roland Zimmer, who owns the nearly 140-year-old bank building, had been seeking a restaurant tenant since Justin's closure in 2009. Couture Closets was the last business to occupy the space.</p><p>Famed American aviator Charles Lindbergh once gave a speech in front of the building when he visited Spartanburg in 1927 after completing the first solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.</p><p>“I am very happy to have them,” Zimmer said. “I think it's going to be a great concept for Spartanburg. It's accessible for college kids and families. It would be great to see downtown reach its full potential as a meeting place for young people. We want to continue the success that Morgan Square has experienced over the past few months.”</p><p>Zimmer said he will be installing a new solar project at the building that will allow for the restaurant's water to be heated by a system that draws power from the sun. He hopes other downtown business owners will follow suit.</p><p>The VandenBerghe's said they were drawn to Spartanburg because of the potential for growth and the opportunities for them to get involved with happenings going on all over the city.</p><p>“We love to get involved, Denise especially,” Chris VandenBerghe said. “What interested us most is that the city is so involved in revitalizing downtown. We're very much looking forward to working with the city. We think it is wide open for growth.”</p><p>For more information, visit: www.thewildace.com.</p>